Color appearance space to CMYK mapping

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a color management method for the conversion of internal color appearance space color values to CMYK device value, by interpolating CMY values from a plurality of CMY to color appearance space lookup tables, wherein each CMY table is associated with a specific value of K. A target internal color value is received and one of the plurality of CMY lookup tables is selected based on a lightness value and neutrality of the target internal color value. Next a CMY value is interpolated from the selected lookup table and the target internal color value. Finally, the interpolated CMY value and the associated K value from the selected table is provided as the converted CMYK color value. In this way, the present invention is able to control the output K value in a color appearance space to CMYK conversion. Accordingly, both neutral and non-neutral colors can be reproduced with better accuracy and higher quality.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a color management method for theconversion of internal color appearance space to color values in CMYKdevice space.

2. Description of the Related Art

Typically, color management systems utilize color transforms to convertcolors from device-dependent to device-independent color spaces, andvice versa. This is necessary because different devices display colorsin different ways. For example, when one type of RGB monitor displaysthe color R=100, G=0, B=0, the measured output of that monitor may bedifferent from the measured output of another type of RGB monitor thatis displaying the same RGB value. Therefore, the two monitors cannot usethe same RGB device values to display the same color. Accordingly, it isnecessary to convert between device-dependent RGB values and adevice-independent color appearance space so that colors can beaccurately mapped and reproduced between different devices.

This mapping is typically achieved with color transforms.Conventionally, color transforms are created by measuring the output ofa specific device at a plurality of known inputs. For example, a colortransform for a CMYK printer can be computed by measuring color patchesprinted by the printer at a plurality of CMYK values. The measurementsare taken by a color measuring device, such as a colorimeter or aspectrophotometer, and the measurements are in a device-independentcolor space, such as CIEXYZ, CIELab, CIECAM, or CIELuv. With thesemeasurements, a color management system is able to easily predict whatdevice-independent color a printer will produce at a specific value ofCMYK.

However, color management systems ordinarily rely on a conversion in thereverse direction, from device-independent color values to CMYKdevice-dependent values, and this conversion is not as straightforward.As with other color spaces having four or more color components, theCMYK space is overspecified. In other words, the same color can beproduced using different amounts of black ink (K) with varying amountsof cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY). Therefore, a one to one conversionfrom color appearance space to CMYK space is not possible. This leads topotentially unsatisfactory conversions, since certain levels of blackink may produce visually unsatisfactory colors. For instance, neutralcolors, such as grays, typically look better with higher amounts ofblack ink. On the other hand, saturated non-neutral colors appearsharper with low amounts of black ink.

Attempts have been made to control the K level in CMYK to CMYK deviceconversions. However, these attempts have failed to address the problemsassociated with controlling the K level in a color appearance space toCMYK space conversion. Other attempts have been made to treat theconversion of neutral and non-neutral color appearance space valuesdifferently, but have generally been unsatisfactory.

As such, conventional methods for converting color appearance spacevalues to CMYK values have failed to provide for adequate control overthe K channel. Accordingly, these methods may produce unsatisfactorycolor reproduction for highly neutral or highly non-neutral or,saturated colors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the foregoing problems by selecting a Kvalue based on the lightness and neutrality of a target color value, andthereafter obtains CMY values based on the selected K value and thetarget value.

According to one aspect of the invention, a target internal color valueis received and one of a plurality of CMY lookup tables is selectedbased on a lightness value and neutrality of the target internal colorvalue. Each CMY lookup table maps from CMY space to internal color spacefor a fixed value of K, and the selected table contains the targetcolor. Next a CMY value is interpolated from the selected lookup tableand the target internal color value. Finally, the interpolated CMY valueand the associated K value from the selected table is provided as theconverted CMYK color value.

According to more preferred aspects of the invention, the CMY table isselected by first, determining the neutrality of the target internalcolor value, and then selecting the CMY lookup table associated with thelargest value of K which contains the target internal color value in thecase that the target internal color value is determined to be neutral,and selecting the CMY lookup table associated with the smallest value ofK which contains the target internal color value in the case that thetarget internal color value is determined to be non-neutral.

By interpolating CMY values from one of a plurality of CMY lookup tableskeyed to a specific value of K, and selecting the CMY lookup table basedon the lightness and neutrality of the target internal color value, thepresent invention is able to control the output K value in a colorappearance space to CMYK conversion. In this way, both neutral andnon-neutral colors can be reproduced with better accuracy and higherquality.

According to another aspect of the invention, the step of interpolatingthe CMY value is further accomplished by computing an error in the colorappearance space value corresponding to the interpolated CMY value. Thecomputed error is then compared to a predetermined error threshold. Theinterpolated CMY value is provided, in the case that the predeterminedthreshold is met. In the case that the predetermined error threshold isnot met, a new CMY lookup table is selected, and a new CMY value isinterpolated from the newly selected lookup table and the targetinternal color value.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the interpolation isachieved using Newton's method and Jacobians.

According to still another aspect of the invention, the plurality of CMYlookup tables is created by obtaining measurement data in a colorappearance space format for a plurality of CMYK values for a CMYKdevice, and populating a plurality of three-dimensional CMY to colorappearance space lookup tables, wherein each table contains colorappearance space measurement values that correspond to a specific valueof K.

According to another aspect of the invention, the measurement data isobtained by measuring the output of the CMYK device with a colormeasuring device.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the measurement datais obtained by converting a plurality of CMYK color samples into colorappearance space values with a preexisting color transform associatedwith the CMYK device.

This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the inventionmay be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of theinvention can be obtained by reference to the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment thereof in connection with theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting the operation of a color managementsystem.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting the creation of K-based lookuptables.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting a process for the conversion of colorappearance space values to CMYK.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting a process for interpolating CMY valuesfor neutral colors.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart depicting a process for interpolating CMY valuesfor non-neutral colors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a color management method for convertingcolor appearance space values to CMYK values, wherein control ismaintained over the K channel.

Typically, the present invention is implemented in a computingenvironment. A representative computing system may include computingequipment, peripherals and digital devices which may be used inconnection with practicing the present invention. The computingequipment includes a host processor which comprises a personal computer(hereinafter “PC”), preferably an IBM PC-compatible computer having awindowing environment such as Microsoft Windows 98, Windows 2000,Windows Me, Windows XP, or Windows NT, or other windowing systems suchas LINUX. In the alternative, the host processor may be an Applecomputer or other non-windows based computers. The computing equipmentalso includes a color monitor, including a display screen, a keyboardfor entering text data and user commands, and a pointing device. Thepointing device preferably comprises a mouse for pointing and formanipulating objects displayed on the display screen.

The computing equipment also includes computer-readable memory mediasuch as a computer fixed disk and a floppy disk drive. A floppy diskdrive provides a means whereby the computing equipment can accessinformation, such as image data, computer-executable process steps,application programs, etc. stored on removable memory media. In thealternative, information can also be retrieved through other means suchas a USB storage device connected to a USB port, or through a networkinterface. Also, a CD-ROM drive and/or a DVD drive may be included sothat the computing equipment can access information stored on removableCD-ROM and DVD media.

Various peripheral devices are generally used in the computing system.For example, color bubble jet printers and color laser printers, whichform color images on a recording medium such as paper or transparenciesor the like are typically employed. Preferably, the printers form colorimages using cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks.

The internal architecture of the host processor of the computingequipment includes a central processing unit (CPU) which interfaces witha computer bus. Also interfacing with computer bus are a fixed disk, anetwork interface, a random access memory (RAM) for use as a mainrun-time transient memory, a read only memory (ROM), a floppy diskinterface, a display interface for the monitor, a keyboard interface forthe keyboard, a mouse interface for the pointing device, a scannerinterface for the scanner, a printer interface for the printers, and adigital camera interface for the digital camera.

The RAM interfaces with the computer bus so as to provide informationstored in the RAM to the CPU during execution of software programs suchas an operating system, application programs, such as a color managementmodule, and device drivers. More specifically, the CPU first loadscomputer-executable process steps from the fixed disk, or anotherstorage device, into a region of the RAM. The CPU can then execute thestored process steps from the RAM in order to execute the loadedcomputer-executable process steps. Data such as color images, colormeasurements, color transforms, or other information can be stored inthe RAM, so that the data can be accessed by CPU during the execution ofcomputer-executable process steps need to access and/or modify the data.

The fixed disk contains the operating system, and application programs,such as a color management system program. The fixed disk also containsa digital camera driver, a monitor driver, a printer driver, a scannerdriver, and other device drivers. The fixed disk also includes imagefiles, other files, transform-based device profiles for implementing thepresent invention as described further herein, and color managementmodules.

The color management method of the present invention is preferablyperformed by computer-executable process steps which are stored on thefixed disk execution by the CPU, such as in one of the applicationprograms, a printer driver, or in an operating system. In addition, thepresent invention could also be performed by software or hardwarecontained within a printer. The process steps for converting colorappearance space values to CMYK values, with control on the K channel,of the present invention are described in more detail below.

FIG. 1 depicts a conventional color management system in which thedestination device is a CMYK device. Color management module (CMM) 100utilizes source device transform 102 to convert device-dependent colorvalues output by source device 101 into an internal color appearancespace. The color appearance space can be implemented in many differentformats, including CIELab, CIECAM, and CIELuv. CMM 100 also typicallyperforms color processing operations, such as gamut mapping, on thecolor data in the color appearance space. CMM 100 uses color appearancespace to CMYK transform 103 to convert color appearance space valuesinto CMYK values that can be used by CMYK device 104.

The present invention presents a method for a color appearance space toCMYK conversion that maintains control over the K (black ink) channel.Maintaining control over the K channel in this conversion is beneficialbecause neutral colors, such as grays, typically look better with higheramounts of black ink, and saturated non-neutral colors appear sharperwith low amounts of black ink. Since the CMYK color space isoverspecified, i.e. different amounts of black ink (K) can be used withvarying amounts of cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY) to produce the samecolor, more than one definition exists when converting from colorappearance space to CMYK space. Simply put, a 4 to 3 CMYK to colorappearance space transform cannot be inverted to produce the reversetransform.

As such, the first step of the invention is the creation of a pluralityof 3×3 CMY to color appearance space lookup tables (LUT). Each table isa 3×3 LUT is keyed to a constant value of K. FIG. 2 depicts one methodby which these tables can be created. CMYK color samples 201 aresupplied to CMYK to color appearance space transform 202. Transform 202is the forward (i.e., CMYK to color appearance space) transformassociated with the device for which the color appearance space to CMYKconversion is desired. In effect, running CMYK color samples throughtransform 202 creates ‘psuedo color measurements’ for the associatedCMYK device.

These measurements are then put into the LUT 203 corresponding to the Kvalue of the sample. With the K value constant, each entry in one ofLUTs 203 maps a color defined by its CMY color components to a color incolor appearance space. In the preferred embodiment, 51 LUTs arecreated, where the K value of the LUTs range in decimal values of K=0 toK=255 in steps of 5. More or fewer tables could be used, depending onthe desired degree of control over the K channel. Along with theassociated K value, each LUT 203 also stores the smallest and largestlightness value of the color appearance space values contained therein.For instance, for a CIECAM (Jab) color appearance space, the smallestand largest J value is stored. For a CIELab color appearance space, thesmallest and largest L values would be stored.

The method for creating the 51 CMY to color appearance space LUTsdepicted by FIG. 2 may be unnecessary if actual color measurements forthe desired CMYK device are available. Such measurements could simply begrouped into different LUTs based on K value. Again, the smallest andlargest lightness value contained in each LUT would also be stored.

Once created, LUTs 203 can be stored on a fixed disk for future use.Alternatively, LUTs 203 can be recreated each time they are needed inorder to conserve disk space. Of course, there are many acceptable waysof arranging and accessing LUTs 203 in a storage medium.

The CMY to color appearance space LUTs 203 can be inverted to generatethe desired conversion. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart depicting this process.Initially, in step S301 a target color appearance space value (targetcolor value) is obtained. This target color value represents a colorappearance space value that is to be converted to CMYK. For instance,the target color value could represent one pixel of an image file.

Next, in step S302, the neutrality and lightness of the target colorvalue are determined. For Jab, Lab, and Luv color appearance spaces, thelightness is simply the J or L value. The neutrality of the target colorvalue is defined with reference to a predetermined distance from theneutral axis. For instance, in a Jab color appearance space, J is theneutral axis where a=b=0. A neutral color can be defined as a colorvalue where the absolute value of both the a and b channels is less thansome predetermined amount. In the preferred embodiment, a neutral coloris defined as any internal color value for which |a| <3 and |b|<3, wherethe a and b channels range from −100 to 100. If the absolute value ofeither the a or b channel is greater than three, the color is determinedto be non-neutral.

In step S303, it is decided if the target color value is neutral or not.If the target color value is neutral, the one of the 51 LUTs with thehighest K value that may contain the target color is selected in stepS305. Likewise, in step S303, if the target color value is non-neutral,the one of the 51 LUTs with the lowest K value that may contain thetarget color is selected in step S304. In steps S304 and S305, thetarget color value can be determined to possibly be contained in the LUTif the lightness of the target color value falls within the lightnessrange stored with the LUT.

Next, whether the target color value is neutral or non-neutral, a CMYvalue is interpolated from the selected table, based on the target colorvalue, in steps S306 and S307 respectively. The interpolation processwill be discussed in more detail below.

FIG. 4 depicts the process by which step S306 interpolates a CMY valuefrom the selected table, based on a neutral target color value. Theinterpolation process used in the preferred embodiment is Newton'smethod. First, an initial guess for CMY is made in step S401.Preferably, the initial guess for CMY is (0.3, 0.3, 0.3) where C, M, andY range from 0.0 to 1.0. This corresponds to CMY percentages of 30% foreach channel.

In step S402, the CMY guess (gC, gM,gY) is applied to the selected LUTand a color appearance space value is obtained. In the case that thecolor appearance space, and therefore the target color value, is in aLab format, the LUT would be a CMY to Lab LUT. Similarly, if the colorappearance space is in a Jab format, the LUT would be a CMY to Jab LUT.For a Lab color appearance space, the CMY guess will return a Lab guessvalue (gL, ga, gb). The obtained Lab guess value is then compared to thetarget color value (tL, ta, tb). In step S403, the error is calculatedand stored. The error is defined as the Euclidean distance between theLab guess and the target color value

In step S404, the calculated error is compared to a predetermined errorthreshold. In a preferred embodiment, the error threshold is set at0.001. If the calculated error is less than the predetermined errorthreshold, the interpolation is considered to be accurate, and step S404proceeds to step S409. It should be noted that, for this calculation, itis sufficient to use the square of the error and the square of thethreshold. This eliminates the need to compute a square root, therebyimproving speed without sacrificing accuracy. In step S409, the currentguess for CMY is supplied to step S308 in FIG. 3, as the interpolatedCMY value.

If the calculated error is more than the predetermined error threshold,step S404 proceeds to step S405. In step S405, it is determined if tenguesses have already been made. Note that 10 guesses is a preferrednumber for the iteration. Larger or smaller values can be used, providedthat convergence is achieved. If ten guess have not yet been made, stepS405 proceeds to steps S406 and S407. In these steps, the Jacobian (j),or three-dimensional derivative, of the LUT is calculated at the pointof the current CMY guess. The calculated Jacobian and error are thenused to calculate a new guess.

The new guess is calculated by first computing a Newtonian step delta(d) according to the following equation:(d)=(tL−gL, ta−ga, tb−gb)

A Newtonian step is then calculated by solving the following equationfor x, where j is the calculated Jacobian.j·x=(d)

The new guess for CMY is then computed by adding x to the previousguess. The process then returns to step S402, and the new guess for CMYis applied to the LUT.

If, on the other hand, ten guesses (i.e. iterations) have already beenmade without meeting the predetermined error threshold, step S405proceeds to step S408. At this point it is determined that, even thoughthe target color value could have possibly been contained in theselected LUT, a CMY value could not be found that maps to the targetcolor value with the desired accuracy. As such, step S408 selects theLUT with the next lowest K value, as compared to the previously selectedLUT. For instance, if in step S305 the K=225 LUT was selected, step S408would now select the K=220 LUT. The process then returns to step S401 inorder to perform an interpolation on the newly selected LUT.

This process continues until the error threshold is met and theinterpolated CMY value is provided in step S409. It is possible that allpossible LUTs will be tried and that the error threshold will not bemet. If this is the case, the CMY guess that returned the smallesterror, along with the K associated with the table, is used as theinterpolated value.

FIG. 5 depicts the process for interpolating CMY values for non-neutralcolors in step S307. This process is the same as that depicted in FIG.4, except that in step S508, the LUT with the next highest K value isselected, as compared to the previously selected LUT. For instance, ifin step S304 K=15 LUT was selected, step S508 would now select the K-20LUT.

Finally, returning to FIG. 3, the interpolated CMY value, together withthe associated K from the table from which the CMY value wasinterpolated, are provided as the converted CMYK value in step S308. Theentire process is repeated for each target color value that is to beconverted to CMYK.

The process of converting color appearance space values to CMYK valueswith control on the K channel that is described above can be used in acolor management system. For instance, the process described above couldbe used in place of transform 103 shown in FIG. 1. In addition, thepresent invention can be used to convert color appearance space valuesto CMYK values as process steps in a printer driver, or in the printeritself.

The invention has been described above with respect to particularillustrative embodiments. It is understood that the invention is notlimited to the above-described embodiments and that various changes andmodifications may be made by those skilled in the relevant art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A color management method for converting internal color values toCMYK color values, wherein the method utilizes a color transform thatconverts CMYK color values to internal color values, the color transformbeing arranged as a plurality of three-dimensional CMY space to internalcolor space lookup tables, each associated to a different K value, themethod comprising the steps of: receiving a target internal color value;selecting one of the plurality of CMY lookup tables that contains thetarget internal color value based on a lightness value and neutrality ofthe target internal color value; interpolating a CMY value from theselected lookup table and the target internal color value; providing theinterpolated CMY value and the associated K value from the selectedtable as the converted CMYK color value.
 2. A color management methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the selection step further includes thesteps of: determining the neutrality of the target internal color value;selecting the CMY lookup table associated with the largest value of Kwhich contains the target internal color value in the case that thetarget internal color value is determined to be neutral; and selectingthe CMY lookup table associated with the smallest value of K whichcontains the target internal color value in the case that the targetinternal color value is determined to be non-neutral.
 3. A colormanagement method according to claim 2, wherein the target internalcolor value is determined to be non-neutral if its value is greater thana predetermined distance from the neutral plane, and wherein the targetinternal color value is determined to be neutral if its value is lessthan a predetermined distance from the neutral axis.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 2, wherein the interpolating step further includesthe steps of: computing an error in the interpolated CMY value;comparing the computed error to a predetermined error threshold;providing the interpolated CMY value, in the case that the predeterminedthreshold is met; selecting a new CMY lookup table, in the case that thepredetermined error threshold is not met, and interpolating a new CMYvalue from the newly selected lookup table and the target internal colorvalue;
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the interpolation isachieved using Newton's method and Jacobians.
 6. The method according toclaim 5, wherein the target internal color value is in a CIELab format.7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the target internal colorvalue is in a CIECAM format.
 8. The method according to claim 5, whereinthe target internal color value is in a CIELuv format.
 9. The methodaccording to claim 4, wherein the plurality of CMY space to internalcolor space lookup tables is created with the following steps: obtainingmeasurement data in an internal color space format for a plurality ofCMYK values for a CMYK device; populating the plurality ofthree-dimensional CMY to internal color space lookup tables, whereineach table contains internal color space measurement values thatcorrespond to CMY values at a specific value of K.
 10. The methodaccording to claim 9, wherein the measurement data is obtained bymeasuring the output of the CMYK device with a color measuring device.11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the measurement data isobtained by converting a plurality of CMYK color samples into internalcolor space values with a preexisting color transform associated withthe CMYK device.
 12. The method according to claim 9, wherein 51 CMY tocolor appearance space lookup tables are created, the 51 tablescorresponding to K values from digital values of 0 to 255 in steps of 5.13. An apparatus for converting internal color values to CMYK colorvalues, wherein the apparatus utilizes a color transform that convertsCMYK color values to internal color values, the color transform beingarranged as a plurality of three-dimensional CMY lookup tables, eachassociated to a different K value, the apparatus comprising: a programmemory for storing process steps executable to perform a methodaccording to any of claims 1 to 12; and a processor for executing theprocess steps stored in said program memory.
 14. Computer-executableprocess steps stored on a computer readable medium, saidcomputer-executable process steps for converting internal color valuesto CMYK color values, wherein the process steps utilize a colortransform that converts CMYK color values to internal color values, thecolor transform being arranged as a plurality of three-dimensional CMYlookup tables, each associated to a different K value, saidcomputer-executable process steps comprising process steps executable toperform a method according to any of claims 1 to
 12. 15. Acomputer-readable medium which stores computer-executable process steps,the computer-executable process steps for converting internal colorvalues to CMYK color values, wherein the computer-executable processsteps utilize a color transform that converts CMYK color values tointernal color values, the color transform being arranged as a pluralityof three-dimensional CMY lookup tables, each associated to a different Kvalue, said computer-executable process steps comprising process stepsexecutable to perform a method according to any of claims 1 to 12.